RABid Posted June 6, 2023 Share Posted June 6, 2023 There is a lot of turmoil in MPC world. Akai has released two new products lately. Both updates to current products, and not as much of an update as many people hoped. The flagship MPC X has been replaced by the MPC X SE. Different paint job, more memory, more storage, and just a tiny bit more power. Everything else in the hardware is the same. You do get a big chunk of the Akai Sound library and virtual instruments with the purchase of the SE. So, a lot of people are dumping their older MPC X's and prices have plummeted. I seriously considered getting the SE and even put my Force and Live up for sale. I wanted the upgrade mainly for the extra buttons and knobs. The Live has the least number of buttons of any MPC and that means you have to memorize a lot of button combos. The X has almost a button for each function, along with 16 data knobs instead of 4 on the other units. I started seeing reports on YouTube about the cheap prices of the X on places like Reverb and how that was a bad sign for Akai. A new SE is $2500. The older X is going as low as $1200. I ordered one this week. With shipping and tax I paid just barely over $1300. Same price as a new Live II. Well, now Akai has released an update to their budget MPC One. The One is the smallest of the MPC's but actually has more buttons than the Live. What it does not have is the battery or built in speaker of the Live. The new One goes for $700. I've seen used One's on Reverb for as low as $450 and this is also pushing down the selling price of the original Live along with the Live II. Now, there is a cheaper way to enter the world of MPC. The MPC Studio is now $199 and the MPK Mini MK III is $99. I don't suggest buying either one used because when bought new it comes with the Akai MPC Studio software and a sound pack. This does not transfer if you buy it used. The MPC Studio has 16 nice pads and a lot of buttons. It also has a cool touch strip that no other unit has. What it is missing is the bank of knobs. The Mini MK III comes with 8 pads instread of 16, and has 8 knobs, but less buttons and it relies on the keyboard to serve as buttons for a lot of functions. Honestly, I have the Studio and like it, but I am considering pairing it with the keyboard for the knobs. Anyway, if you are considering the MPC, this is a good time to grab a used model. Especially the X. Quote This post edited for speling. My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfD Posted June 6, 2023 Share Posted June 6, 2023 Definitely a great time to buy a used MPC especially as folks are dumping them to *upgrade* for the newer features. 😎 Quote PD "The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyberGene Posted June 6, 2023 Share Posted June 6, 2023 I’ve been tempted many times by the MPC One but whenever I start searching for reviews I see it predominantly used for hip-hop. What makes it so good for hip-hop and why isn’t it more popular for other genres? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoken6 Posted June 6, 2023 Share Posted June 6, 2023 1 hour ago, CyberGene said: I’ve been tempted many times by the MPC One but whenever I start searching for reviews I see it predominantly used for hip-hop. The original MPC could be described as "a machine used to invent hip-hop". I'm way out of my specialist subject here, but the sampling on trigger pads, and the "every 4/every 2/every 1" auto-trigger "roll" feature of MPCs makes setting up drops very easy. Hence: hip-hop. Cheers, Mike. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drawback Posted June 6, 2023 Share Posted June 6, 2023 Taking the topic sideways for a minute, but I’ve been looking fairly seriously at an Akai MPC Key 61. Not for the typical genre, but as a powerful workstation with a lot of pluses for its price. 1 Quote ____________________________________ Rod Here for the gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
konaboy Posted June 7, 2023 Share Posted June 7, 2023 i'd say no, the latest models have the features many of us keyboard players desire, with the availability of plugins to add minimoog emulations, FM synths and the new Juno. if i were getting an MPC these new models would be most interesting, perhaps the one+. Quote hang out with me at woody piano shack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RABid Posted June 7, 2023 Author Share Posted June 7, 2023 My used MPC X came in today. Great condition and with a small SSD installed. Just finished connecting it to my computer and downloading my sound packs. Have to say, wow, this thing is big. Quite a bit bigger than a Push, but all those buttons are great. And each knob in the bank of 16 has its own little screen giving you information on what the knob controls and what it is set to. Really happy with it so far. 2 Quote This post edited for speling. My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UnderGroundGr Posted June 8, 2023 Share Posted June 8, 2023 On 6/7/2023 at 2:39 AM, drawback said: Taking the topic sideways for a minute, but I’ve been looking fairly seriously at an Akai MPC Key 61. Not for the typical genre, but as a powerful workstation with a lot of pluses for its price. If mpc key has seamless transition between sounds and setups i had bought it day one... Quote Kurzweil K2661 + full options,iMac 27",Mac book white,Apogee Element 24 + Duet,Genelec 8030A,Strymon Lex + Flint,Hohner Pianet T,Radial Key-Largo,Kawai K5000W,Moog Minitaur,Yamaha Reface YC + CP, iPad 9th Gen, Arturia Beatstep + V Collection 9 https://antonisadelfidis.bandcamp.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfD Posted June 8, 2023 Share Posted June 8, 2023 IMO, because of the keys, the MPC Key 61 is not ideal for a KB player but it's cool for those who need/want workstation/groovebox features in a KB. Akai wasn't thinking about real KB players when they came up with the key-bed on the MPC Key 61. It is definitely a groovebox with a KB attached. 😎 2 Quote PD "The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drawback Posted June 8, 2023 Share Posted June 8, 2023 Interesting UnderGroundGr & ProfD as I’d played one briefly the other day and thought the action was better than most controller keybeds, and seamless transition/load times wouldn’t necessarily be an issue for me. It can be used in different ways, not only a groove box - it would be a lightweight, portable workstation in my hands. YouTube demos seem quite positive. 1 Quote ____________________________________ Rod Here for the gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfD Posted June 8, 2023 Share Posted June 8, 2023 4 hours ago, drawback said: I’d played one briefly the other day and thought the action was better than most controller keybeds....It can be used in different ways, not only a groove box - it would be a lightweight, portable workstation in my hands. Absolutely, the MPC Key 61 would work well in that regard. Of course, if/when the need to play pianistically arises, the MPC Key 61 can be used as a tone generator connected to a better key-bed and/or it's time to pull out the Kronos.😁😎 1 Quote PD "The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GovernorSilver Posted June 13, 2023 Share Posted June 13, 2023 I think this guy just got arrested for illegal music-making - 13 counts of non-hip hop music making - dude's gonna do serious time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doerfler Posted June 13, 2023 Share Posted June 13, 2023 I want this one 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Emm Posted June 13, 2023 Share Posted June 13, 2023 2 hours ago, GovernorSilver said: I think this guy just got arrested for illegal music-making - 13 counts of non-hip hop music making - dude's gonna do serious time Holy bleep! Now see, this kind of player transcends the debates & arguments over fine design points. He's got WORK to do, clearly! Further proof that if you embrace a platform, the stylistic arguments will melt away in light of what you accomplish. Quote "The more you drink, the better we sing." ~ Blues Traveler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.